Even the Clouds are Crying
by Saltiest-Salt
Summary: Though he'd never admit it, that was the first day in many years that Scout had been totally and utterly silent. Not even going up to say his last goodbyes, in fear of losing it all and not be able to push on. He had been silent as his father, not that he deserved the title, involved himself with her for the first time in years, instead, tuning him out. Cross posted on ao3


Dark grey clouds filled the sky, drowning out any sunlight other than the few rays that managed to push through. The rain hitting the ground with loud booms almost drowned out the sound of thunder, almost. Puddles seemed to flood the ground and streets, creating a thick layer of water that'd splash every time it was disturbed. The streets were empty for once in Boston, and the few people that did pass by wore only a somber black. The whole city seemed to be in a saturnine mood and it seemed as if even the clouds were crying.

Though he'd never admit it, that was the first day in many years that Scout had been totally and utterly silent. Not even going up to say his last goodbyes, in fear of losing it all and not be able to push on. He had been silent as his father, not that he deserved the title, involved himself with her for the first time in years, instead, tuning him out. Not that his words meant anything anyway, just worthless apologizes and complements to a dead woman that'd flow away in the wind just as he did.

It had been a closed casket funeral, so even if he wanted to, he couldn't see her face again. It had been an unspoken agreement, not to disrupt her memory. She hadn't seen it coming, it had been her turn to walk, but they drove through anyway. A hit and run, speeding past as her body hit and bounced off the pavement with sickening cracks every landing. Her bruised and battered corpse had been left there until a passerby had finally found her.

When they lowered her down he forced himself to hold tears back, none of his brothers were crying, so he wouldn't either. One by one they lined up and his flower joined seven others side by side on her coffin. They stared as the earth was shoveled onto her, burying her as if she had never existed. That made him more bitter and frustrated than backstabbed or sniped ever could.

Relatives and so called friends offered their half hearted condolences, they had never been there for the family when they were needed, so why should their words matter now? One by one they left, cutting down to the people who actually cared, just the nine of them. Though, the eight boys didn't want to include the man in the slightest, still bitter and hurt to the core.

Time seemed to slow down, minutes seemed like hours and reluctantly, the boys left, leaving the youngest behind. Father and son stood in the rain, one too stubborn to leave first, the other frozen in heartache. The rain seemed to grow stronger and fall faster, yet they stood there, unwilling to move to open their umbrellas.

As the sun started to fall behind the skyline, the man who hid his face to even his own son turned away and the scout spoke, his voice hoarse. "Ma always wanted me to forgive you," the spy stopped in his tracks. "Not just me, she was adamant about those things with us. No matter how angry and bitter we got, she wanted us to remember to forgive you all." Suddenly his voice cracked, "I never could though, you left her. You left me, my entire life I grew up hearing people calling Ma a whore and me a bastard. That's something that's hard to forgive ya' know? I think she understood though, even if it hurt her a bit. When she thought I wasn't looking I could see the tears when we spoke about you, to be honest though, it was more like arguing. I've always been good at that sort of thing, people don't expect me to see those things," he paused, before looking up at his father. "Those fights would keep me up at night, part of me wanted to forgive you, for her sake, but I've been known for holding a grudge. It's a bit hard to break those. Ma always said I got it from you, that you were the most stubborn man she'd ever met, though I came at a close second. I denied it though, every time, I wanted nothing to do with you. Yet she kept on bringing you up, no matter how much I rejected the idea of you. She never forgot you, I don't think she ever even resented you." The scout looked away from him, a bit embarrassed in his words. Instead of facing the spy, he focused on the grave of the woman who had been there his entire life up until now. "It hurts a bit, as if I disgraced her memory for not forgiving you while she was here to see it. Ma always said late was better than never, so-" His voice seemed to die and he took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I forgive you alright? I forgive you for leaving, I forgive you for the insults I got because of you, I forgive you for being a dick at work, I forgive you for everything…" He ripped his head up to look as the man when he trialed off. He was gone, just as he always was. A deep bitter rage started to build up in the scout as he tightened his hands into fists. "GOD DAMN IT YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" He threw the umbrella in the direction of where the man considered his father once stood. "Don't say I never did anything for you Old Man!" He exclaimed before running off, his suit drenched and his eyes filling with tears he tried so hard to keep in.

As his figure started to disappear from view Spy's cloak fell, in the same exact spot he had been standing in as Scout had attempted to make amends. With a sigh, the man bent down to pick up a flower off the grave and twisting it between his fingers. "It seems I've done it again ma chérie, just when I thought I could do it. You always were right," he said softly with mirth before dropping the flower and standing. "Au revoir mon cher," with those last few words he turned and walked away int0 the storm.


End file.
